“I would say if we don’t have an answer by the 16th (of July) it may be time to get serious about listening to other teams’ offers,” Doan’s agent, Terry Bross said Tuesday.

Bross, who’s been busy gauging the interest in Doan, also has to keep teams that are interested coming back to the table before settling on alternatives (e.g. Alex Semin). Setting another date helps keep the process alive. This also means Doan is doing everything possible to make sure the Coyotes remain his first priority.

If it were up to Shane Doan, he’d stay in Phoenix for the rest of his career. That much we know is true. With the team’s ownership mess up in the air, however, it’s led to him exploring a very eager-to-sign-him free agent market.

Doan hasn’t ruled out returning to the Coyotes, but Bross no longer anticipates Doan agreeing to a one-year deal with the team.

“I think the door’s kind of closed on that opportunity,” he said.

A multiyear contract is fine with the Coyotes, but they, too, have become bystanders in this process.

For a guy that’s been the face of a franchise in peril for three years now, you can’t fault Doan for wanting security in his own future. At 35 years-old, he’s had a lot to deal with both on and off the ice and while Phoenix is home for him, he knows if it’s not going to be the team’s home for the foreseeable future he can’t commit to them long-term.

It’s July 9 and that means it’s time for the Coyotes to find out if Greg Jamison’s bid to buy the team will be slowed down. That also means it’s time for Shane Doan to figure out if he’s coming back to Phoenix or heading out of town.

“I expect by Tuesday we’ll probably start listening to some offers, get an idea of where he kind of fits in the market, and take that next step,” said Terry Bross, Doan’s agent. “I wouldn’t say anything’s imminent.”

It’s believed as many as 11 teams have interest in signing Doan including the Rangers, Canadiens, Flyers, and Kings. As a physical power forward with scoring touch, he should have many suitors and after being the captain of the Coyotes for so long now, he brings character as well.

After the other departures we’ve seen out of Phoenix (Adrian Aucoin to Columbus, Ray Whitney to Dallas) losing Doan would be the ultimately punch in the stomach.

Shane Doan has technically been a free agent since last Sunday. Thanks to him waiting out to see if Greg Jamison’s bid to buy the Coyotes gets held up or not, tomorrow may turn into the official day to big on his services.

Eleven teams have inquired about the player, his agent, Terry Bross, said Friday. New York, Detroit and Montreal are among the group, according to various reports.

Doan deserves better.

“It’s heartbreaking for him,” Bross said. “Heartbreaking.”

Bross reiterated Doan wants to stay with the Coyotes. He loves it here, his family loves it here and he has developed a profound connection with the organization.

Should things get cleared up in Glendale with Jamison’s bid to buy the team, re-signing Doan is a no-brainer. Things continuing to be up in the air, however, ruins that for the team. Doan wants nowhere else to play other than Phoenix, but if ownership is still a mess, you can’t fault the guy for wanting to land in a stable situation.

Worse yet for the Coyotes, one of the teams who will push hard for Doan is the Los Angeles Kings, according to ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun. Losing your captain due to ownership mayhem is one thing, potentially losing him to a rival stings even more.